A network system may include multiple servers, clients, or other network devices for processing, handling, communicating or otherwise manipulating network information. For example, multiple client network systems may connect to a server network system over a communication network or pathway. Server network systems deliver information and software to other client network systems that link through a network system, such as a local area network (LAN), the Internet, or other communications pathway. Server network systems handle requests for data, email, file transfer, and other network services from client network systems.
A server network system may be a file server system or storage area network (SAN) datacenter that stores files for use by other network devices. A server network system may also be a print server network system that manages one or more printers for other network devices. Server network systems may also include other special purpose server network systems. When employing a multitasking operating system, a single server network system may manage multiple programs and thus simultaneously handle multiple server functions such as Internet communication, database management, email, and other server functions. Client network systems, such as remote office network systems, may send data requests in the form of frames or data packets to one or more server networks systems. Ethernet data packets or frames provide a standard data format for data transmissions from network device to network device in a network system.
Although Ethernet protocols are common in network systems, other communication protocols such as Fibre Channel (FC) protocols provide other communication approaches. Fibre Channel protocols provide a methodology for communicating between server network systems and client network systems. Mixing Ethernet and Fibre Channel protocols provides opportunities for utilizing the special capabilities of each. For example, Fibre Channel network devices may provide significant improvement in the data storage and data retrieval capabilities of a network system. Fibre Channel data packets are not identical in structure to Ethernet data packets and thus require translation mechanisms to function properly within a partial or predominantly Ethernet protocol network system. The term “Fibre Channel over Internet Protocol” or “FCIP” as used herein means any protocol or any system that transmits Fibre Channel frames or Fibre Channel data packets directly over an Internet Protocol (IP) network. “Fibre Channel over Ethernet” or “FCoE” is another type of Fibre Channel protocol. FCoE refers to a protocol or system that transmits Fibre Channel frames or Fibre Channel data packets over an Ethernet network.